Flexible strand materials, such as solder, are typically packaged and dispensed from spools on which they are coiled. The material can be dispensed by simply unwinding it from the spool. However, this simple approach to dispensing strand materials is not well-suited to a variety of applications.
A number of patents disclose dispensing strand material from devices having a variety of useful features, but still require the user to grasp the strand material with a free hand and pull the strand material from the device as desired.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 878,622 to Ferner discloses a combined dispenser for solder and soldering flux. Solder is wound around the body of the device, which is hollow for containing flux. The user apparently grasps and pulls the solder to unwind it as desired. U.S. Pat. No. 1,182,299 to Morton discloses a combined dispenser for solder and rosin, wherein the dispenser is cylindrical with rosin stored within it and solder wound around it. The user apparently grasps the solder to unwind it as desired. U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,859 to Sparks discloses a solder dispenser or package in which a length of solder is wound around a linear portion of the solder which extends beyond the coil to form a coiled body of solder. The user grasps and pulls the solder to unwind it as desired. U.S. Pat. No. 2,809,748 to Barnaby discloses a dispensing container comprising a tube within another tube, with a supply of solder wound around the smaller tube in the space between the two tubes. The solder is withdrawn from the dispensing head by grasping and pulling the solder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,318 to Hite discloses a head-mounted solder dispenser, wherein a solder spool is mounted on a headband. Solder is manually pulled by the user from the spool. U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,778 to Fortune discloses a soldering tool holder which can include a solder spool for dispensing solder. The user apparently grasps and pulls the solder to unwind it as desired. U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,730 to Shend'ge et al. discloses a portable wire dispenser particularly suitable for dispensing solder. The dispenser comprises a cylindrical body in which a helical coil of solder is held. The user apparently grasps and pulls the solder to unwind it as desired.
Certain strand material applications, such as soldering, are made more efficient by the use of strand material dispensers which can be operated with one hand. U.S. Pat. No. 1,929,666 to Williams discloses a device for dispensing strand material with one hand rather than with two hands. The device is a self-feeding solder pencil which feeds a straight length of solder when thrust downward by the user. However, this device is not well-suited for applying solder where precisely measured amounts of solder are necessary, or there is little space in which to work.
Other strand material dispensing devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,449 to Kleiman, which discloses a soldering tool for a robot, wherein the solder is fed from a solder spool by motorized rubber feed wheels; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 266,980 to Fortune, which shows a combination solder and strand material dispenser; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 323,531 to Fortune, which shows an improved spool for strand materials.
Although a variety of strand dispensers have been proposed in the art, there still exists a need for a strand dispenser which can dispense strand material from standardized coils in precise amounts without tangling the material, and which is adapted to be held and operated by a single human hand.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.